Tag: Rocket Factory Augsburg
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ESA and European Commission Expand Flight Ticket Initiative for European Launchers
The European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Commission (EC) have launched a new call for proposals under the European Flight Ticket Initiative, expanding opportunities for European launch providers to compete for institutional launch contracts. The two-part call invites European launcher developers to apply for framework contracts while also opening competition for the fifth batch…
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OHB Targets Up to €510 Million Capital Raise to Expand Space Manufacturing
German space technology company OHB is seeking to raise up to €510.7 million through a share offering to support the expansion of its manufacturing capacity and fund investments in launch systems, acquisitions and future space projects. The company said it plans to issue approximately 1.7 million new shares priced at €300 each, with proceeds primarily…
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UK Announces £500 Million Space Investment Package With £20 Million for Scottish Spaceports
The United Kingdom has unveiled a £500 million spending package aimed at supporting the country’s space sector, including £20 million allocated to accelerate the development of spaceport infrastructure in Scotland. The funding plan was announced on March 4 during the Space-Comm Expo 2026 by Liz Lloyd, the UK’s Minister for the Digital Economy. The broader…
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Rocket Factory Augsburg Delivers RFA ONE Stages to SaxaVord Ahead of Planned Test Flight
Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA) has delivered the first and second stages of its RFA ONE launch vehicle to SaxaVord Spaceport in Scotland as the company prepares for a planned test flight later this year. The German launch provider said the first stage was recently built and tested at its facilities in Augsburg, Germany, before being…
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Skyrora Eyes Orbex Assets Including Scottish Spaceport After Rival’s Financial Troubles
British rocket developer Skyrora said on Thursday it is considering acquiring selected assets from rival Orbex, including a planned spaceport in northern Scotland, after the smaller launch company disclosed financial difficulties. Skyrora, headquartered in Glasgow, said it intends to explore purchasing parts of Orbex’s business, notably the Sutherland Spaceport project on Scotland’s north coast, in…
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Isar Aerospace Expands Engine Test Facilities Ahead of Second Spectrum Launch
German launch company Isar Aerospace said it will expand its testing infrastructure at Sweden’s Esrange Space Center as it prepares for the second flight of its Spectrum rocket, currently expected no earlier than March 19. Founded in 2018, Isar Aerospace is developing the 28-meter-tall Spectrum launcher, designed to deliver up to 1,000 kilograms to low…
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Rocket Factory Augsburg Wins Two ESA-EU Launch Contracts Under Flight Ticket Initiative
German rocket manufacturer Rocket Factory Augsburg has been awarded launch service contracts for two missions under Europe’s Flight Ticket Initiative, strengthening its position in the continent’s emerging small-launch market, the European Space Agency said. The contracts, announced on Jan. 22, cover two missions comprising a total of three satellites and were awarded through the Flight…
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RFA and SaxaVord target UK’s first vertical orbital launch
Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA) is determined to debut its RFA One rocket by the end of this year. Applying industrialization techniques to building low-cost, high-performance rockets, the flight could become the first vertical orbital launch from UK soil. Progress on two further pads is underway at the SaxaVord spaceport, as the two organizations count down…
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A frontrunner in Europe’s private launch industry just lost its first rocket
The first stage of Rocket Factory Augsburg’s first orbital launcher was destroyed in a fireball during a test-firing Monday evening at a spaceport in Scotland, the company said. The German launch startup aimed to send its first rocket into space later this year and appeared to be running ahead of several competitors in Europe’s commercial…
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RFA reveals second stage and updates test path to 2023 launch
Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA) has revealed the second stage for its upcoming RFA ONE rocket. The company’s tweet showed a second stage, integrated with a Helix engine. This engine will power both the first and second stages. NASASpaceflight spoke to RFA about the reveal and RFA’s test campaign for the second stage pathfinder. The company…